Inquirer's (Guess?) of the Sixers Top Eight Choices

Posted on Wed, Jun. 25, 2008

The Sixers' Elite 8 at No. 16

Here are the Sixers' top prospects, listed in alphabetical order:

Darrell Arthur

Kansas; 6-foot-9, 216 pounds; 20-year-old sophomore; 12.8 points, 6.3 rebounds.

The skinny: He played only 25 minutes per game as a sophomore and didn't improve much off a solid freshman season. Still, he runs the floor and fits the Sixers' run-and-gun style.

Ed Stefanski says: "Obviously, he's a winner, being on an NCAA champion. He seems to be a good face-up shooter to 17 or 18 feet. His back-to-the-basket moves have improved in two years. He can really run the floor."

Donte Greene

Syracuse; 6-foot-9, 221 pounds; 20-year-old freshman; 17.7 points, 7.2 rebounds.

The skinny: Half of the shots Greene attempted were from three-point range. He can extend defenses, but his lack of an inside game and devotion to defense have turned scouts off.

Stefanski says: "A very talented kid with the ball. He's an excellent shooter, can go get his shot. Where he needs to work on is his defensive side of the ball. He has the capabilities, and he's athletic enough."

DeAndre Jordan

Texas A&M; 6-foot-11, 250 pounds, 19-year-old freshman, 7.9 points, 6.0 rebounds.

The skinny: At the beginning of the season, he was touted as a high pick. But Jordan played only 20.1 minutes per game and was thought to take plays off.

Stefanski says: "He's got a great body. He's extremely athletic and a good rebounder. He has to work on his offensive skills. He's a project with a lot of upside."

Kosta Koufos

Ohio State; 7-foot-1, 265 pounds; 19-year-old freshman; 14.4 points, 6.7 rebounds.

The skinny: Koufos impressed scouts with his ability to shoot the ball outside the key. He didn't have a spectacular freshman year and was largely inconsistent.

Stefanski says: "Koufos is a legit 7-footer. He's mobile and can really shoot the basketball. . . . He is an intriguing kid."

JaVale McGee

Nevada; 7-foot, 241 pounds; 20-year-old sophomore; 14.1 points, 7.3 rebounds.

The skinny: He went from scoring 3.3 points per game as a freshman to 14.1 as a sophomore. Plus, the athletic big man is still only developing his post presence. But he's a major project.

Stefanski says: "He is a long, athletic kid who is much better offensively now. He can block a shot, but he has to get a better body on the defensive end. If you draft a JaVale McGee, you're betting on the upside."

Anthony Randolph

Louisiana State; 6-foot-10, 197 pounds; 18-year-old freshman; 15.6 points, 8.5 rebounds.

The skinny: He was a consensus top-10 pick until he started working out with NBA teams. The main concerns are his durability and strength, but he runs the floor well.

Stefanski says: "He's a real skilled kid. He needs work on his body. . . . The workouts are not fair to him because he's better with four players out there with him."

Marreese Speights

Florida; 6-foot-10, 245 pounds; 20-year-old sophomore; 14.5 points, 8.1 rebounds.

The skinny: Questions linger about his conditioning and strength. Still, he has played on winning teams and is a terrific low-post scorer and rebounder.

Stefanski says: "He can shoot the ball. He works with his left and right hand around the basket. He runs the floor. Maybe not the hardest defensive player you'll see."

Jason Thompson

Rider; 6-foot-11, 250 pounds; 21-year-old senior; 20.4 points, 12.1 rebounds.

The skinny: He's the ultimate sleeper at 16. Thompson put up dazzling numbers (at least 20 and 10) the last two seasons. There are concerns about strength and focus, though.

Stefanski says: "His better days are down the road. He's a guy we've discussed. He can run the floor and is another guy who's big that has good hands. He has to get his range a little bit better."

- Compiled by Staff Writer Matt Gelb